外媒每日新闻 Regime Change Redux & Robotaxi Rollout Edition

Iran fired missiles and drones at Kuwait early Thursday, continuing its retaliation for U.S. bombardments earlier in the week. Kuwait's Ministry of Defense said sirens sounded and air defenses intercepted the attacks during "blatant Iranian aggression." Iran's military also struck U.S. bases in the UAE, expanding the front of hostilities across the Persian Gulf. The Iranian military said it targeted the Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, damaging communications systems and fighter hangars. It came after U.S. allies Bahrain and Jordan said their air defense systems intercepted several Iranian air attacks Wednesday. Fighting between the U.S. and Iran has increased this week after the U.S. hit Iranian rocket launchers on an island in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. Iran's Health Ministry said 18 people were killed and 142 wounded in the latest U.S. strikes, including 61 women and 44 people under 18. The Iranian Red Crescent reported four killed and 67 wounded at a wedding ceremony near the Strait of Hormuz. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply alarmed by reports of civilian casualties" and called for an immediate cessation of military action.^[1]

With traffic through the Strait of Hormuz still below pre-war levels and diplomacy with Iran at a standstill, Trump has returned to the regime change concept he began the war with six months ago. "When are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight?" he asked on social media Tuesday. On Wednesday, Trump said the U.S. was prepared to carry out another "very heavy attack" on Iran "any time we want," while also saying he did not believe the renewed fighting would last long. There are currently no substantive attempts at returning to diplomacy after Trump ordered his envoys to halt discussions with Iran last month. "I like our position now," Trump wrote, "with almost total control of the Hormuz Strait, and their economy totally collapsing." The Treasury Department has yet to impose the biggest of threatened sanctions on Iran's trading partners. Part of the calculation in cutting off Iran's financial lifelines was to prompt anger among disillusioned Iranians toward their leaders. However, U.S. intelligence assessments before the war began concluded a joint U.S.-Israeli operation was unlikely to lead to regime change. Trump was coy when asked whether the CIA would arm Iranian dissidents: "I'd love to tell you that, but it wouldn't be appropriate to say."^[2]

Russian attacks killed at least five people and injured at least 66 across Ukraine over the past day, as drones reached western regions including Khmelnytskyi and Vinnytsia oblasts. President Zelensky said Russian attacks caused damage in 13 oblasts overnight. "The enemy did not go on vacation — the Russians have found a new escalation and have no plans to slow it down," Zelensky said. Russia launched 163 Shahed-type drones overnight, around half of them jet-powered. Air defenses downed 135 drones, while strikes were recorded at 15 locations. The deadliest attacks were in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, where four people were killed and 13 injured. In Odesa, 17 people including three children were injured when a drone hit a residential high-rise, damaging apartments on the 10th through 17th floors. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones attacked Russia's Moscow region, hitting residential buildings in Kubinka and Pavlovsky Posad. Governor Andrei Vorobyov said 56 drones were shot down over the Moscow region overnight. Ukrainian drones also struck the sea port in Sochi, with monitoring channels publishing footage of the resulting fire. The total number of drones downed over Moscow since midnight reached at least 94.^[3]

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers is pressing the Army to explain why it told the 173rd Airborne Brigade, a unit based in Europe, to stop specializing in drone warfare. The brigade of 600 soldiers had been building its own drones and practicing the kind of warfare that Ukraine has pioneered against Russia and that Iran has fought against the U.S. — warfare that has killed and wounded American troops. The unit was set up in November to be deployed anywhere drones were needed. "We have deep concerns that eliminating this specialized drone unit will limit our ability to learn from allies, particularly the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and hinder our efforts to modernize drone warfare at the speed necessary to compete on the modern battlefield," the lawmakers wrote. The letter was signed by Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, independent Sen. Angus King, and Republican Rep. Mike Turner. The move followed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's ousting of the Army's prior chief of staff, Gen. Randy George, who had been a major proponent of integrating drones into Army tactics. Departing Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submitted his resignation Wednesday, with no reason publicly revealed.^[4]

A federal judge has blocked Trump's latest attempt to limit birthright citizenship, granting a preliminary injunction against an executive order that the administration said would target "birth tourism." U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman wrote: "The Supreme Court has spoken: Children in the certified class are 'citizens at birth.'" The Supreme Court struck down Trump's previous attempt in June. Birthright citizenship is guaranteed under the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868. Separately, the Department of Homeland Security reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 50,925 people in August — the third consecutive monthly record. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said: "ICE is working around the clock... If you are in the country illegally, LEAVE NOW." A recent AP-NORC poll found just 39% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's performance on immigration, down from 49% at the start of his second term. About half of U.S. adults say Trump has "gone too far" on deporting immigrants. A federal judge in Boston will also hear arguments Thursday on whether to extend her prohibition against the U.S. Postal Service requiring states to use a new mail balloting system for the midterms.^[5]

Oil prices swung dramatically on Thursday, initially rising on Middle East escalation before falling after President Donald Trump said any new attacks on Iran "would be short-lived" and that "substantial flows" of crude are crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures rose to $96.22 a barrel — a six-week high — before falling to $94.33, down 1.36%. U.S. WTI crude fell below $90 to $89.95, down 1.16%. Both contracts had surged over 8% in the previous three sessions. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz renewed warnings that Israel would "cripple" Iran's military and civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, if Tehran launched attacks. Analysts at Bok Financial Securities noted: "The new escalation should continue to support the market. However, it should be noted that both the United States and Iran are seeking a way out of this situation. Further peace talks could rapidly crash prices." U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said more than 17 million barrels of oil exited the strait on Monday. The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. stood at $4.12.^[7]

New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced tough questioning on the economy during his first Prime Minister's Questions, as UK government borrowing costs surged to their highest level in 18 years. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch pressed Burnham to explain where spending cuts would fall and how the government would handle rising debt. The UK's 30-year gilt yield hit 5.85%, its highest since 1998, while the 10-year yield reached its highest since the 2008 financial crisis. Burnham said his government would be "grounded in fiscal responsibility" and highlighted tax cuts already implemented, including VAT reductions on energy bills and hospitality business rates. The bond sell-off has worsened the government's debt interest payments, adding an estimated £12 billion to costs. The market turbulence reflects investor concerns about the new government's fiscal plans alongside global trends of rising bond yields. European stock markets were heading toward a positive opening, supported by a slowdown in oil prices and easing tensions on government bond markets.^[8]

The death toll from catastrophic flash floods along the Nepal-China border has surpassed 1,200, with close to 5,000 people still missing a week after a glacial collapse triggered the disaster. Nepal's disaster agency confirmed 1,003 deaths with 3,916 missing, including 583 foreign nationals. China reported 16 deaths and 546 missing, including 261 foreigners. In Kathmandu, police buried dozens of unidentified bodies in mass trenches next to a forested area, with blue numbered markers identifying graves. Authorities are preserving DNA samples and recording identifying details. At least 168 people were killed and more than 1,300 missing at hydropower project sites, where about 900 workers are missing and roughly 500 believed trapped in tunnels. Rescue teams with search dogs continue combing through debris. China sent a second batch of relief supplies including drones and DNA testing equipment. The disaster began when a glacial collapse sent rock, ice and meltwater into valleys — the rockfall was powerful enough to register as a magnitude 5.2 seismic event. Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah said the disaster highlighted climate change risks in the Himalayas.^[11]

A deadly shooting at Venture-N, a long-time Tucson gay bar, killed 42-year-old Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and 33-year-old Cameron Davis Capara. The gunman, 44-year-old Ousman Ceesay, died by self-inflicted gunshot. Police found a note listing LGBTQ-associated businesses and determined the attack was "motivated by hate toward the LGBTQIA+ community." Ceesay had recently arrived in the Tucson area with no apparent connection to the victims. Tucson Police Chief Kasmar confirmed the shooting was being investigated as a hate crime. Police increased presence around gay establishments following the attack. The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation plans a memorial event. The shooting has sent shockwaves through Tucson's LGBTQ community, with many questioning whether enough is being done to protect marginalized groups amid a climate of rising political polarization. The FBI is also investigating whether federal hate crime charges apply.^[12]

Uber and British tech company Wayve are launching London's first self-driving taxi service on Thursday, giving residents a chance to use technology already available in many U.S. cities. The companies are starting with a small rollout of Ford Mustang Mach-E electric vehicles outfitted with Wayve's autonomous vehicle technology. Compared with the U.S. and China — where robotaxis operate autonomously with no human driver — Europe has been taking a more cautious approach. In London, there will still be a person behind the wheel who can grab the wheel or tap the brakes if there's a problem. Uber customers won't be able to specifically request a robotaxi but could be matched with a Wayve vehicle when they hail a ride, which they can accept or reject. Prices won't be any different from a regular Uber ride. The deployment will start with under 20 vehicles and expand from there. Waymo and Chinese tech company Baidu are also gearing up to offer commercial passenger service in London, which poses unique challenges to robotaxis because of its narrow, convoluted roads and the fact that jaywalking is not against the law.^[15]

President Donald Trump's return to regime change rhetoric on Iran dominated X/Twitter discourse on Wednesday. His post asking "When are the Iranian people going to rise up and fight?" was shared tens of thousands of times, drawing sharp polarization. Supporters framed it as a principled stance against theocratic tyranny, with one viral post reading: "Trump is right — the Iranian people deserve freedom from a regime that suppresses them." Critics, however, seized on Trump's own admission that "I understand their plight — they're being shot right now," arguing the U.S. was effectively calling for civilians to risk their lives. An Iran analyst's post went viral: "The U.S. intelligence community told Trump before the war that regime change via external force doesn't work. He ignored them then. He's ignoring them now." Another widely shared thread compiled historical examples of U.S.-backed regime change attempts — from Iran 1953 to Iraq 2003 — arguing none produced the democratic outcomes promised. The hashtag #IranRegimeChange trended alongside #USIranWar.^[18]

The hashtag #GloriaSteinem trended across the United States on Wednesday after news broke that the pioneering feminist writer and activist Gloria Steinem had died at 92. Steinem, who co-founded Ms. Magazine in 1972 and became one of the most recognizable faces of the women's liberation movement, was remembered across the political spectrum. Progressive figures highlighted her decades of advocacy for reproductive rights and gender equality. Conservative commentators, while often disagreeing with her politics, acknowledged her outsized cultural impact. A viral post from a young feminist read: "She wrote 'I Have Had an Abortion' before it was socially acceptable. She went undercover as a Playboy Bunny. She made feminism accessible to millions." Another post, shared over 50,000 times, simply read: "Without Gloria, there is no 'we.'" Her final published essay, written just weeks before her death, urged younger generations to "finish the unfinished revolution."^[19]

The hashtag #KuwaitUnderAttack trended globally Thursday as Iran expanded its retaliation from Bahrain and Jordan to now include Kuwait and the UAE — striking U.S. military bases in five countries within 48 hours. Videos of air raid sirens in Kuwait City at dawn were widely shared, with one post gathering over 3 million views: "Kuwait City under attack. Iran is now hitting five U.S. ally nations. This is no longer a U.S.-Iran war — this is a regional war." A map showing Iranian attack vectors across the Gulf went viral, posted by a defense analyst: "Iran's strategy: spread U.S. air defenses thin across as many fronts as possible." The hashtag #FiveFrontWar also trended. Meanwhile, footage of Iran burying victims of the wedding strike — with mourners carrying caskets through streets — circulated alongside images of wounded children. One widely shared post from a Middle East correspondent read: "Iran's military said it struck the Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait and UAE bases. The Pentagon says it 'never targets civilians.' The wedding victims say nothing because they can't." Energy analysts posted real-time tracking showing commercial vessels anchored and the Strait of Hormuz largely closed.^[20]